Russian geopolitics in the 18th century and its impact on Georgian-North Caucasian Relations

Abstract

Due to its special geostrategic location, the Caucasus has been a primary target of the great powers fighting for hegemony in the world since time immemorial. Due to its central location, Georgia was assigned a decisive role in the struggle for influence on the Caucasus. That's why all the powers that fought for the control of the Caucasus, first of all, tried to conquer and subjugate Georgia. Despite the great ordeal, Georgia constantly maintained the function of the political, economic, and cultural center of the Caucasus. From the 15th-16th centuries, the interests of three great states: Ottoman, Iran, and Russia, which persistently tried to expand their influence in the Caucasus or gain a complete advantage, intersected to dominate the Caucasus. This confrontation was exacerbated by the political situation in the Caucasus. 15th century From the second half, after the collapse of the unified Georgian feudal monarchy, there was no longer a centralized state in the Caucasus.

The 18th century was a turning point in the struggle for geopolitical influence in the Caucasus. Since that time, the issue of gaining a dominant influence in the Middle Middle East has gained great importance in the geopolitics of the leading European states. The rivalry between England, France, Austria, and Russia for control of the weakened Iran and Ottoman dominions was intensifying. In this context, the struggle for hegemony over the Caucasus intensified.

18th century From the beginning, the deep crisis in Iran put the issue of the struggle for redistribution of influence in the Caspian region on the agenda. Russia, in alliance with King Vakhtang VI of Kartli, tried to enter Transcaucasia, but the strong reaction of the Ottomans, along with other factors, forced them to retreat. The struggle for influence in the Caucasus entered a decisive phase in the second half of the 18th century.

At the end of the 18th century, the French bourgeois revolution defined the development of international relations for several decades. This not only led to the rapprochement of England and Russia but at a certain stage, ruthless rivals - Russia and Ottomans.

Russia conveniently used the created situation to establish full influence on the Caucasus.